Enjoy classic Italian comfort food with this delicious Italian-American Lasagna recipe. Layers of pasta, meat sauce, and gooey cheese make this dish a family favorite.
My Family's Lasagna Recipe
I grew up in an Italian American family and although I am fortunate that I get to travel to Italy often and learn the traditional recipes there, Italian American cooking is what I love most.
Much like other Italian Americans, our recipes not only come from all different parts of Italy (with many family recipe variations) but many of the recipes have been adapted to what ingredients were local and available here in the U.S when our family came to this country.
This Italian American lasagna recipe is exactly this type of recipe. It is not a lasagna Bolognese with Bechamel sauce that is traditional in Italy. It was my grandmother's lasagna recipe that she adapted when she moved here.
It is made up of meat sauce, cottage cheese instead of ricotta (trust me on this, it is good!), lasagna noodles and lots of cheese. You can also use ricotta in the recipe if you prefer. I have tried it with great success and nothing changes at all with the recipe except that.
This recipe has always been a favorite dinner of mine growing up and much like a lasagne bolognese, it takes a little time to put together but it is always well worth it! We like to enjoy this lasagna on Sundays for our Italian family get-togethers and on ALL holidays along with baked rigatoni.
Did You Know!
Did you know that most Italian Americans serve at least one traditional baked Italian pasta dish for all American holidays? It is always served alongside the traditional American dishes of ham, turkey, or beef roasts. It is our way to enjoy American traditions with Italian traditions at the same time.
Cottage Cheese In Lasagna?
Yes, believe it or not, cottage cheese makes an excellent addition to lasagna and in my opinion makes the lasagna taste better than if you used ricotta. Cottage cheese in this recipe replaces the use of ricotta that you find in many recipes. The eggs in the recipe will help bind the cottage cheese during baking and it is a bit lighter than the Italian American lasagna recipes that use ricotta.
As I mentioned above, I have made this lasagna both ways (with cottage cheese and with ricotta) so use what you have on hand. This is the traditional way Italians cook.
How to make Italian-American Lasagna
Here are step-by-step photos showing you how to make this lasagna. For the full ingredients list, instructions, and quantities, you can scroll down to the bottom of the page.
Prep Ingredients. I like to make my Italian meat sauce for this recipe which is so full of flavor. I usually do this ahead of time so I am only assembling the lasagna. After the sauce is made then I make the cottage cheese mixture that goes between the layers of lasagna noodles.
First layer is meat sauce: I always ladle a thin layer of meat sauce in my lasagna pan before adding anything else. This is the first layer.
The second layer is lasagna noodles: Now I add lasagna noodles on top of the meat sauce making sure they do not overlap so they cook evenly. For this recipe, I used dried lasagna egg noodles that do not need to be pre-cooked before baking.
Note about cooking the lasagna noodles: You want to check the manufacturer's instructions on whether the noodles need pre-cooking before layering the lasagna. If your lasagna noodles need to be pre-cooked, I have an entire post on how to cook lasagna noodles that I know you will find helpful! Do not start the lasagna until you know what type of lasagna noodles you are working with.
Third layer is cottage cheese mixture and Parmesan: This is the cheese mixture you prepared earlier (above).
Repeat the layers: I repeat the layering until the meat sauce and cottage cheese mixture is used up. You will have 3-4 layers depending on the size of the baking dish you use. I like to use a 9x11 dish to get 4 layers.
Top with more cheese: Now is when you add the fresh sliced mozzarella, shredded mozzarella and shredded Parmesan cheese. This is the delicious bubbly golden brown cheese crust that everyone loves in a lasagna.
Bake: Bake the lasagna in a preheated 375-degree oven (on the middle rack) for about 35-40 minutes or until the cheese on the top is golden brown.
Making Lasagna Ahead Of Time
Italians love making baked dishes like this lasagna or even chicken Parmesan ahead of time. It allows the cheese and ingredients to come together so well. I like to make the lasagna on the weekend then bring it to room temperature and refrigerate it for later in the week.
It is excellent this way and great if you are short on time during the week. To reheat the lasagna, just place it covered with aluminum foil in a preheated 350-degree oven for about 30-40 minutes or until heated through.
Make sure you are using a baking dish that will not crack under temperature changes (going from the cold fridge to a hot oven). Pyrex baking dishes are perfect for this type of recipe.
You can freeze the lasagna after it cools as well. Just defrost in the fridge overnight.
Recipe Faqs
Originally, lasagna in Italy did not have ricotta and it was called lasagna Bolognese. It originated in the Bologna region of Italy. American lasagna is a version of lasagna that Southern Italians began making with ricotta and sometimes cottage cheese.
Yes, southern Italians use ricotta in their lasagna.
What to serve with lasagna
Now, I can eat (and do) this lasagna on its own but that is not to say that there are not so many delicious things to go with it. Here are some light bites, sides and even dessert ideas for you:
- Ciabatta garlic bread: This is perfect for a full Italian American meal.
- For a classic side dish, Swiss chard with white beans is always a great choice.
- Start the meal with an appetizer of bruschetta or Italian shrimp and avocado!
- End the meal with a classic Italian panna cotta.
More Italian American Recipes
If you love this Italian-American lasagna recipe, you may also like these other Italian-American dishes:
Italian-American Lasagna Recipe
Equipment
- 1 9 x 11 baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 lb dried egg lasagna noodles these are no-cook lasagna noodles.
- 3 cups Italian meat sauce meat sauce recipe
- 24 ounces Whole milk cottage cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups Grated Parmesan
- ½ cup Whole Milk shredded mozzarella
- 4 ounces Fresh mozzarella thin sliced
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Make the Italian Meat Sauce3 cups Italian meat sauce
- Check on the package whether your lasagna noodles are no-cook or if they require cooking.1 lb dried egg lasagna noodles
If Cooking The Lasagna Noodles
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Salt the water then cook lasagna noodles for just a little more than half of the time suggested on the box.1 lb dried egg lasagna noodles
- Drain the pasta and with tongs, place each lasagna noodle on to a kitchen towel side by side.
Make Cottage Cheese Filling
- In a medium bowl, add the eggs, cottage cheese, ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt, pepper and nutmeg and mix well.24 ounces Whole milk cottage cheese, 2 large eggs, ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Assembling the lasagna
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Reserve ¼ cup of the Parmesan for the topping and set aside.
- Grab a 9 by 11 inch inch baking dish
- Spread a thin even layer of meat sauce (about ¾ cup) on the bottom of the baking dish3 cups Italian meat sauce
- Now add one layer of lasagna noodles trying not to overlap them. You can cut them if you need to.
- Now add about ¾ cup of the cottage cheese mixture and spread evenly over the pasta.
- Sprinkle some Parmesan over the top.
- Now top with another layer of lasagna noodles.
- Add a thin layer of meat sauce (about ¾ cup) and spread evenly.
- Repeat these layers until you get to the last layer.
- For the last layer before adding the cheese topping, you want to end with a layer of lasagna noodles with meat sauce on top.
- Now add the fresh sliced mozzarella, shredded mozzarella and ¼ cup of the Parmesan cheese.½ cup Whole Milk shredded mozzarella, 4 ounces Fresh mozzarella
- Bake the lasagna for 30-40 minutes on the middle rack of your oven until it is bubbling and starting to brown on top.
- Let cool for 10 minutes then slice and serve.
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